MLB

Blue Jays boosting pay for minor leaguers by 50 per cent: report

The Toronto Blue Jays are working to institute a pay raise of more than 50 per cent for every player in their minor-league system, according to a report from The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal and Emily Waldon.

Team investigated change for over a year, hoping others follow suit

Vladimir Guerrero Jr., seen above last season with the triple-A Buffalo Bisons, could be among the Blue Jays's minor leaguers benefiting from a pay increase of 50 per cent this season. (Jeffrey T. Barnes/The Associated Press)

The Toronto Blue Jays are working to institute a pay raise of more than 50 per cent for every player in their minor-league system, according to a report from The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal and Emily Waldon.

The team has been looking at increasing the compensation for players in the farm system for more than a year.

According to the report, Jays vice president of baseball operations Ben Cherington hopes it will lead to other teams following suit.

"It puts us right now up at the top of the scale in the industry," Cherington said. "My hope is it doesn't stay that way. My hope is other teams eventually do the same."

The Save America's Pastime Act, which was passed as part of the $1.3 trillion US spending bill approved by Congress last March, officially exempted Major League Baseball teams from federal wage and overtime rules.

Major League Baseball earned a record $10.3 billion in revenue in 2018, the 16th straight year its revenues were a record, according to a Forbes report in January.